The official noted that the know-how to build this microscope can also be used for transferring atoms and producing nano-robots, nano-engines and electronic chips.

The scanning tunneling microscope is used widely in both industrial and applied research to acquire atomic-scale images of metal surfaces. It provides a three-dimensional profile of the surface that is very useful for characterizing surface roughness, observing surface defects, and determining the size and conformation of molecules and aggregates on the surface.